Country’s Bill Sanderson & Southern Rock’s Sweet Home Alabama Saddle Up At Viva Tequila Henderson To Benefit The Las Vegas High School & Jr High Rodeo Team Thursday Night July 16!

 

Pictured left: Bill Sanderson
Pictured right: Sweet Home Alabama & The Las Vegas High School & Jr High Rodeo Team

The Las Vegas music scene doesn’t just give back — it saddles up and rides in full force, and Thursday night in Henderson proved it. Country troubadour Bill Sanderson brought the twang, Sweet Home Alabama rolled in with that Southern‑rock thunder, and Viva Tequila Restaurant & Bar threw open its doors like a honky‑tonk ready for a throwdown, all to support the Las Vegas High School & Jr. High Rodeo Team.

From the first guitar lick, the place was jumping like a dance hall on a Saturday night. Twenty percent of every plate and pour went straight to the rodeo kids, and raffle tickets were whipping through the air like someone kicked up dust on a dusty backroad. We dug into onion rings, chicken strips, and fries, washed it down with ice‑cold drinks, and settled in for three-plus hours of country soul and Southern‑rock fire that kept the crowd shoulder‑to‑shoulder and loud enough to rattle the windows.

Inside Viva Tequila, the vibe hit that perfect crossroads — country comfort meeting Southern‑rock swagger. The twang warmed the room, the guitar grit sharpened it, and together they wrapped the crowd in that familiar, boots‑on‑the‑ground Americana glow. Every raffle ticket bought, every plate served, every chorus belted out felt like another spark tossed into the night.

This wasn’t just Vegas showing up — it was Viva Tequila, the musicians, and the community standing tall, lifting their young rodeo riders with every note, every cheer, every stomp of a boot on the floor.

With a packed house, food and drinks covering every table, and raffle tickets flying like rodeo arena confetti, Thursday night stayed alive from start to finish. The energy never dipped, the crowd never thinned, and the support never slowed. By the time the amps cooled, one thing was clear — Thursday night was a runaway win for the Las Vegas High School & Jr. High Rodeo Team, the kind of country‑and‑Southern‑rock‑soaked community victory that sends everyone home grinning!

{My Take}

The Las Vegas local music scene came riding in full force Thursday night, boots down and guitars up. Bill Sanderson brought that smooth, down‑south country croon — the kind that feels like a warm porch light on a summer night — while Sweet Home Alabama rolled in with Southern‑rock thunder that would make Lynyrd Skynyrd crack a proud grin. And Viva Tequila Restaurant & Bar swung its doors wide open, hearts even wider, turning the whole place into a desert‑side honky‑tonk with purpose.

It wasn’t just a show — it was a country‑and‑Southern‑rock throwdown for a cause, a night where twang met grit, community met rhythm, and Vegas proved once again it knows how to show up when it counts. For the Las Vegas High School & Jr High Rodeo Team.

For that, Vegas tips its hat to each and every one of you!

Y'all flat-out tore it up!

Gary England

#NationalNewsMedia #WorldwideEntertainmentNetwork #LasVegasReviewJournal #TheHendersonPatch

Riding The Highs Surviving The Lows: The Music Biz Rollercoaster How Not To Fall Off

 Life’s a wild ride, man — every path you take is lined with peaks that make you feel ten feet tall and valleys that punch you right in the gut. I play poker on the side, and if you want a masterclass in emotional whiplash, sit at a table for a few hours. One minute you’re a legend, the next you’re wondering why the universe hates you.

And the music industry? Oh, brother… that’s a whole different beast.

It’s loud, it’s chaotic, it’s beautiful, and it can chew you up like a broken guitar string. I’ve watched killer musicians — real-deal talent, the kind that makes your spine tingle — get knocked so far off their game that they either walked away for a breather or bailed out completely. That’s the kind of heartbreak you don’t forget.

So, what’s the secret to surviving the storm without losing your soul? After digging through a few hours of research, swapping stories with one of my closest friends — a local psychologist who’s seen the backstage bruises up close — and mixing in a little of my own life mileage, here’s what I’ve learned.

Stay grounded — When the spotlight hits, it feels like you’re floating. When it shuts off, you can crash hard. The pros who survive know how to keep their boots on the ground even when their heads are in the clouds. It’s the difference between riding the wave and getting dragged by it.

Build your tribe — Every great musician has a backstage army: bandmates, friends, mentors, the bartender who’s seen it all. You need people who remind you who you are when the industry tries to tell you otherwise. Lone wolves burn out. Crews endure.

Protect your mental game — This business will mess with your head if you let it. My psychologist buddy said it straight: musicians are emotional athletes. You’ve got to train your mind like you train your chops — rest, boundaries, perspective, and knowing when to step back before you snap a string.

Remember why you started — When the grind gets ugly, go back to the spark. The first riff that made your chest vibrate. The first crowd that screamed your name. The first time you realized music wasn’t a hobby — it was oxygen. That memory is your compass when the industry tries to spin you around.

Adapt without selling your soul — The biz changes faster than a Vegas slot machine. Trends flip. Venues close. Algorithms rewrite the rules overnight. The survivors evolve — but they never let the machine rewrite their identity. Bend don’t break!

Play the long game — Overnight success is a myth sold to rookies. Real careers are built brick by brick, gig by gig, heartbreak by heartbreak. The ones who make it aren’t always the most talented — they’re the ones who refuse to quit when the road gets dark.

Celebrate the small wins — A killer rehearsal. A new fan. A song idea that hits you at 2 AM. These are the sparks that keep the fire alive. Stack enough of them, and suddenly you’re unstoppable!

{My Take}

(This post is dedicated to two awesome musicians (friends of mine) who have experienced the highs and lows of the biz! I love you both. And wish you all the luck in the world in your return to music, because the music biz needs ya, and so do I)!

When you strip away the noise, the egos, the late‑night doubts, and the industry chaos, it all comes down to this: music is a long, loud, beautiful fight worth showing up for. The storm will come — it always does — but if you’ve got your tribe, your purpose, and your fire intact, you’ll walk out stronger than you walked in. Keep your head up, keep your heart plugged in, and keep playing like the world needs your sound, because it does! I do too!

Gary England

Tribute Artists vs Original Music: Bringing Original Music To Light!

 The Vegas music scene is a wild, neon‑lit beast! Loud on the surface, louder underneath, and full of stories that never make it past the bar chatter. Everyone talks about tribute bands ruling Las Vegas while original music gets shoved behind the curtain, but I’ve been lucky enough to hear what really goes down. As a rock writer, I get the inside track on the locals who bleed their own songs into the desert air. Some of those tracks live only in their heads, some make it to the bar‑room stages, and a few Vegas bands cranking out their own original fire are perched right on the edge of blowing the doors off this town and launching themselves straight onto the long, winding highways of the touring circuit! $$$$

I’ve heard original tunes that hit harder than half the stuff being covered in this city. In my opinion, some of these songs are so strong that they stand a good chance of becoming tributes someday. A lot of these artists are already pushing their originals onto platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp, which is a killer start, but they still need ears, attention, and a spotlight that actually points them in the right direction to fans that dig the original songs.

Here's where I usually say it's My Take; this time, it's my little experiment with your help.

So, here’s the deal. I’ve got a little blog with a not‑so‑little audience, some friends in high places, and people who seem to pay attention when I talk.

Vegas musicians & bands:

If you’re out there grinding, writing, recording, and dropping original tracks, send me your links. Shoot me your songs, your contact info, and let’s talk. I’ll blast your music out to the world through my platform and make sure your originals don’t stay hidden in the shadows.

Vegas bands. Vegas songwriters. Vegas creators. If you’ve got the fire, I’ll help carry the flame!

It's on you now. Message me on Facebook or hit me up with an email: garyenglandemail@gmail.com

Gary England

facebook.com/garyenglandlv

Hit Hard Play Loud: Las Vegas Dirty Ratt Band Seeking Stage‑Dominating Drummer!

 In the loud, lawless underbelly of Las Vegas, Dirty Ratt — the city’s snarling, high‑octane tribute to RATT — is tearing open the gates and looking for a drummer immediately who can bring the kind of fire that shakes music venues' walls. We’re talking a heavy‑metal vibe, pro‑level precision, reliable gear, and the kind of explosive stage presence that channels the raw, relentless energy of Ratt's Bobby Blotzer himself. If you can hammer out those metal grooves with authority, throw down backing vocals, and deliver the kind of thunder that keeps Sin City awake, you’re already in the zone. Hit the links below to see what Dirty Ratt is all about, then reach out to Chris Miggiani for more info, because if you’ve got the power, Dirty Ratt wants you behind the kit driving this beast!

Dirty Ratt on Facebook 

Dirty Ratt YouTube

Message Chris Miggiani on Facebook 

Or Email Chris at: chris.miggiani@gmail.com

When Baseball Went Bananas: The Banana Ball Takeover

Banana Ball didn’t just arrive on the sports scene — it literally detonated like a rock‑and‑roll pyro blast behind home plate. Born in 2018 as a wild experiment from the Savannah Bananas — a scrappy summer‑league team founded in 2016 — the game grew from a near‑bankrupt idea into a full‑blown touring spectacle that now packs MLB stadiums coast to coast. 

Founder Jesse Cole, the yellow‑tux showman who sold his house to keep the team alive, built Banana Ball on one core belief: baseball should move fast, hit hard, and entertain like a stadium tour. Two‑hour time limits, points for innings, walk‑off dances, sprint‑style ball‑four chaos — it’s baseball re‑wired for adrenaline junkies and sports fans who want action, not downtime.

The popularity boom came from pure spectacle: choreographed player dances, the Party Animals rival squad, TikTok‑melting walk‑ups, and a fan‑first philosophy that treats every game like a rock show. Media outlets from ESPN to Sports Illustrated jumped on the story, and suddenly Banana Ball was selling out 17 MLB parks, NFL stadiums, and launching its own championship league. Jesse Cole himself is a walking fun fact — he proposed in a yellow tux, lives by “Fans First,” and channels equal parts P.T. Barnum and sports‑mad ringmaster. 

Click on pic to enlarge

To catch the madness live, check out these links for more info about the madness of the bananas. 

The Bananas on Facebook

Jesse Cole

The Bananas Ticket Exchange

The Bananas on Instagram

The Bananas on YouTube

Watching Banana Ball is pure fun — a neon‑bright, high‑octane blast of athleticism from finely tuned players who perform with the swagger of rock stars and the precision of elite competitors. As the Bananas like to say: “If it’s not fun, why do it?”

{My Take}

After 58 years of writing about every sport under the sun — pro leagues, minor leagues, dusty backfields, neon‑lit arenas, you name it — I thought I’d seen every curveball the sports world could throw. But one night, sitting in my living room with the TV humming in the background, I stumbled onto a game that didn’t just catch my eye… it grabbed me by the collar. Banana Ball wasn’t baseball as I knew it — it was baseball with a jet engine strapped to its back, a rock‑concert heartbeat, and athletes who move like they’re powered by lightning. I’ve covered champions, dynasties, heartbreakers, miracle seasons — but nothing hits quite like this!

Jesse Cole truly is doing everything right—with his bright yellow tux and larger-than-life enthusiasm, he’s become a role model for kids and adults alike. It’s not just about the game; it’s about creating joy and community, and he’s absolutely someone you can look up to for that! I hope to catch a game, or two the next time that the bananas are in Vegas!

So here it is, straight from a Vegas‑based lifer of the sports beat:

Banana Ball rules!

I Love The Bananas!

~Gary England~

#NationalNewsMedia #WorldwideEntertainmentNetwork #Baseball #sports #professional

Sweet Home Alabama Brings Their Brand Of Southern Rock To The Viva Tequila This Thursday Night For A Cause Worth Saddlin’ Up For!

 

This Thursday, July 16th, 5–9 pm, Henderson is about to shake the dust off its boots.

At Viva Tequila Restaurant & Bar, the Southern Rock engines are firing up as Sweet Home Alabama rolls in to turn a regular Thursday into a denim‑and‑leather, boots‑on‑the‑floor throwdown. Slip into your blue jeans, lace up those stompers, and bring an appetite big enough to match the riffs—because the kitchen’s cranking, the drinks are flowing, and the dance floor is begging for a two‑step stampede.

And here’s the kicker: every bite, sip, and boot‑scootin’ shuffle is fueling something bigger. 20% of all restaurant proceeds go straight to the Las Vegas High School & Jr. High Rodeo Team, the young guns who ride hard all across Nevada as part of the National High School Rodeo Association. Donations are welcome too. These kids aren’t just learning the ropes—they’re living them, chasing eight‑second glory across the Silver State with more grit than a desert windstorm!

So, saddle up and mosey on down to the Viva Tequila this Thursday night, eat, drink, and boot scoot the night away, and let Sweet Home Alabama take you into a Southern Rock state of mind while you help give our hometown cowboys and cowgirls a leg up on their next ride. Good food, cold drinks, loud guitars, and a cause worth backing—right here in our own backyard!

Gary England

The Purists Slash Haters Are Mad At The Wrong Machine: You’ve Been Using AI for Years Congrats!

 Man, there are a whole lot of unhappy folks out there. Half of them act like time marching forward is some kind of personal insult. Technology keeps dragging the world ahead whether anyone likes it or not — the real mystery is where it’s taking us.

I’ve been doing pop art since that Dee Snider piece blew up back in 2019 — that’s the first one I can officially document. (Went viral overnight)

Before that, I was pitching pop‑art concepts to the NFL. They politely told me the world wasn’t ready for my pigskin flavor. Funny thing: the very next year they rolled out artwork that looked suspiciously familiar. Coincidence? Sure… if you believe in fairy tales.

Now I’m catching flak because my style leans into AI. I keep telling people I’m just a Photoshop lifer. I was out here doing my thing long before the AI‑haters even existed. And honestly — if you haters knew you’ve been using artificial intelligence way before “AI” became a headline, maybe you’d be a happier camper!

 Everyday AI people used long before they realized it.

Spellcheck — Every time Word or Gmail fixed your typo, that was early AI quietly cleaning up your mess.

Autocomplete — Your phone finishing your sentence wasn’t magic; it was predictive language modeling.

Search engines — Google’s ranking, suggestions, and “Did you mean…?” have used machine learning for decades.

Photo filters — Face smoothing, red‑eye removal, auto‑contrast — all powered by early computer vision.

GPS navigation — Rerouting, traffic prediction, ETA calculation — that’s AI crunching real‑time data.

Fraud detection — Banks flagging suspicious charges? Machine learning.

Streaming recommendations — Netflix, Spotify, YouTube — all AI deciding what you “might like next.”

Voice assistants — Siri and Alexa didn’t just wake up one day; they’re built on decades of speech recognition AI.

Digital cameras — Autofocus, face detection, scene optimization — all early AI baked into your pocket.

So yeah — people have been swimming in AI for years without even noticing. Meanwhile, I was grinding in Photoshop before half you critics even knew what a layer mask was.

What’s a photo dude supposed to do — stop evolving just to make you Haters feel safe?

And haters — the “purists” — if you need something to be mad at, go hate on electric cars or cars without drivers. I might even join you on that! But hating on me for using tools I've used for years? That’s just ridiculous!

Gary England

My Awesome Day Trip Up To Mount Charleston: Local Las Vegas Band Retrosonic Hosts Music On The Mountain At The Lee Canyon Ski Resort Saturday July 11th

 When I heard that one of my favorite local bands was firing up the mountain with a show at the Mount Charleston Lee Canyon Ski Resort, the needle on my excitement meter snapped clean off. A quick day trip up to Lee Canyon means cooler temps, crisp mountain air, and a temporary escape from the neon buzz of Las Vegas. 

Add Retrosonic blasting Classic Rock tunes under the open sky, surrounded by pine trees and fresh canyon breeze, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a killer Saturday. That’s a big win in my book!

Just a few miles north of Las Vegas, the whole world changes—because that’s where the Mount Charleston range rises up like a cool, green escape hatch from the desert. The moment you take that turn toward the mountain, the scenery flips from neon to nature. As you wind your way upward, you pass scattered cabin-style homes, cactus‑lined ridges giving way to real foothills, long sweeping passes, and those classic slow, curling mountain roads that beg you to roll the windows down. Every few miles there’s a pull‑off where you can stretch your legs, breathe that crisp high‑altitude air, or snap a few shots of your day‑trip adventure. It’s no wonder this drive has been crowned one of Nevada’s most scenic routes — it earns that title every single mile.

Snapping pictures on the drive up felt like the perfect warm‑up act for my Saturday escape to Lee Canyon’s "Music On The Mountain" festival. There’s something about kicking off the day with a camera in hand, catching those mountain angles and desert‑to‑pine transitions, that sets the tone just right. Mix all that Mother Nature beauty with a blast of good old rock ’n’ roll, and you’ve got a Saturday afternoon that’s tough to beat — cool air, cool vibes, and a soundtrack that makes the whole canyon feel alive.

Rolling in a little late to Lee Canyon wasn’t exactly part of the plan — but when you’re on a full‑blown photo adventure, time has a way of slipping through your fingers. That short hike from the parking lot to the main festival grounds? It worked better than any energy drink. This older rock journalist was getting more amped with every step, breathing in that cool mountain air and hearing the distant rumble of live music echoing through the trees.

By the time I finally hit the heart of the scene, the place was packed. Easily three thousand people — men, women, kids, whole families — all soaking in the mountain breeze and the music. A full‑blown community rocking out together under the summer sky.

Retrosonic delivered exactly what that massive mountain crowd came for — a full blast of classic rock anthems everyone knew by heart. Under those bright Lee Canyon skies and that crisp, high‑altitude air, they turned the resort into what I like to call a little slice of heaven. The band hit the stage, the canyon echoed, and the audience soaked up every riff like it was pure summer magic.

I’ve only been riding along with Retrosonic for a short stretch, but I’ll put my 50‑plus years as a road‑tested, ink‑stained rock writer on the line for this one. After watching them tear it up today in front of three to four thousand fired‑up fans, I’m calling it: Retrosonic isn’t just climbing Mount Charleston — they’re climbing the charts on the Local Las Vegas Most Wanted Bands list. The crowd felt it, the canyon felt it, and any seasoned rock journalist worth their notebook could see it plain as day today!

{My Take}

Retrosonic isn’t just rising — they’re accelerating. In a city where countless bands grind through smoky bars and neon‑lit stages hoping for that one breakout moment, Retrosonic has already found theirs and is pushing it higher with every show. What they delivered at Lee Canyon wasn’t a fluke or a lucky crowd; it was the unmistakable sound of a band catching real momentum. Three to four thousand people felt that surge, and any veteran rock journalist could see the trajectory forming right there in the mountain air. Retrosonic is climbing fast, powered by tight musicianship, undeniable chemistry, and the kind of crowd‑magnet energy that turns a local act into a must‑see name. Las Vegas is watching — and the climb has only just begun!

Gary England

#NationalNewsMedia #TravelMedia #TravelTV #WorldwideEntertainmentNetwork #Gary England #MusicOnTheMountain #festival #outdoors

Rustic Lounge Open Mic Night: The Jam That Shook Henderson, Nevada July 9th!

 Thursday night hit like a surprise guitar lick, the kind that snaps your head around and reminds you you’re still living and still plugged into the voltage of this wild Las Vegas (And Henderson) music scene!

Click On The Pic to Enlarge

I rolled into the Rustic Lounge in Henderson, Nevada around 6:45 Thursday night, thinking I’d just catch a casual Thursday night jam. Instead, this old rock writer got schooled. The place was buzzing with players, not weekend warriors, not bar‑band autopilots, but real awesome musicians, the kind who show up with fire in their eyes and riffs in their back pockets! The room was stacked with killers, musicians who don’t just play, they burn down the stage. And the setlist? Forget the usual Vegas bar‑band rotation. These rockers were firing off rarely‑heard gems like “What I Like About You”, “Old Time Rock n’ Roll”, and “Ride Sally Ride” — the kind of tunes that make your heart kick like a Harley at a green light!

Then came the genre‑hopping madness, Vegas and Henderson locals showing the packed bar just what they got! Besides the host of Classic Rock favorites. There were R&B burners that slid across the room like neon smoke. Blues cuts dripping with grit, Country stompers that rattled the floorboards, and Metal blasts that punched the ceiling tiles loose!

Every player — guys, gals, veterans, newcomers — stepped onto that stage for one reason: to feel the music and have a good time doing it. No ego. No posing. Just pure, sweaty, joyful noise!

Thursday night, the Rustic Lounge stage turned into a revolving door of Vegas‑powered firepower!

Special guests? More like a mini rock summit.

Local rock legend Les Warner stormed the stage with that unmistakable thunder he’s carried since his days with The Cult — crisp, loud, and locked‑in like a speeding freight train on grease-soaked rails! Right behind him came Rowan Robertson, the guitar prodigy who joined Dio at 17 and still plays like he’s got lightning wired straight into his fingertips and running through his veins!

Satin Steel out of Arizona took the stage- a crew that doesn’t just play rock; they swing it like a sledgehammer. Their riffs hit the room like a wind-blown desert storm blowing in from the east!

Local rocker Dave Bentz didn’t just take the stage — he commanded it, ripping through guitar lines out front like a man born with a fretboard in his hands. With Dezi Lou, Vegas’ own high‑voltage music promoter, running point beside him, the two kept the entire night tight, on time, and rolling like a runaway rock‑star steam engine. And while the music thundered, Carmen Haynes Warner kept the drinks flowing, fueling the crowd and keeping the Rustic Lounge buzzing at full tilt!

The night finally eased off the throttle, but the energy never dipped — the Rustic Lounge felt like it was still humming, still vibrating from every riff, crash, and howl that tore through it. If Thursday proved anything, it’s that the Vegas (And Henderson) music scene is crazy alive, loud, and absolutely unstoppable! And for all those who showed up, played hard, and kept the whole machine running, consider this your salute — you’re the ones who keep the rock‑and‑roll heartbeat pounding in this town! For that, you're all Rock Stars in my book!

My Take, On a personal note.

Last night hit me right in the soul. Uplifting to see, electrifying to hear, and impossible not to feel. That’s what local music is supposed to be — raw energy, real people, and a room full of musicians locked into pure camaraderie!

The vibe was flawless. The music was alive. The whole night at the Rustic Lounge Jam wasn’t just good… it was the blueprint for what a Vegas (Or Henderson) jam night should be! Five stars? Not even close. Let’s call it TEN STARS and still feel like we’re underselling it.

Last night RAWKED!! HARD!!

I'll Be Back!

~Gary England~

Rustic Lounge

#NationalNewsMedia #WorldwideEntertainmentNetwork #MusicEntertainmentSports #LasVegasReviewJournal #USAT #MusicEntertainmentSports #GaryEngland

The First Riff Of Every Show: The Secret Weapon Every Musician Should Be Using!

 

Click on the pic to enlarge

Today’s blog hits with a little backstage spark. When my friend, Rock Legend Les Warner fired over his gig flyer last night, I didn’t just glance at it — I jumped on it. I blasted out a feature post on my blog, dropped it on Facebook, and let that thing ride straight into the feeds.

And while I was doing all that, it smacked me right in the face just how crucial these flyers really are. They’re not just pretty graphics — they’re the fast‑acting adrenaline shot that gets butts in seats and fans through the door. A sharp flyer is the quickest way to turn a gig announcement into a packed room and a loud night.

It's all about giving the fans the essentials in one quick look. 

You want to cover the big three: who’s playing, when it’s happening, and where to show up. So, start with the band or artist name—make it bold and easy to spot. Then drop in the date and time, nice and clear. Finally, pop in the venue details and maybe a ticket link or a QR code if you’ve got it. Keep it simple, punchy, and let that flyer do the talking!

{My Take}

These flyers (Like the one up top) aren’t just promo pieces — they’re the opening riff to every great night of live music. They spark the buzz; they rally the crowd and set the tone long before the first note hits the air!

Keep ’em bold, keep ’em blazing, and keep ’em rolling out like fresh riffs off a hot sizzling amp!

Gary England

Rustic Lounge

Les Warner

This Saturday July 11th: Lee Canyon Goes Classic Rock Loud In The Afternoon — Later that Night The Metal Gods Burn It Down Inside The Tuscany Suites Casino Copa Room LV

 Coming This Saturday, July 11th, 2026

This Saturday, July 11th isn’t just a date on the calendar — 

It’s a full‑throttle rock‑writer gauntlet, the kind of day that reminds me why I still drag my boots into the wild for the music that raised me.

Click on pic to enlarge

⚡ Mountain‑Top Classic Rock Mayhem

High on the mountain, in the open air where the wind carries every riff like a battle cry, Retrosonic is set to unleash a classic‑rock avalanche — 60s soul, 70s thunder, 80s fire, 90s grit. Watch the ridgeline. When these guys (and gal) plug in, rockslides aren’t a geological event; they’re a setlist consequence. This band doesn’t “play” the mountain. They make the mountain rumble, and after this weekend, Mount Charleston and the Lee Canyon Ski Resort may never be the same!

⚔ Nightfall: Heavy Metal Double‑Strike

Tuscany Suites Casino - Copa Room

Then the sun drops, the lights rise, and the night turns metallic.

• High Priest is a heavy‑metal ignition squad, the ultimate Judas Priest tribute inferno — a band that doesn’t just honor the pioneers of British steel; they reignite the furnace. Coming off a recent engagement at the Whisky in Hollywood, they're ready to bring their fire back to Las Vegas! They'll hit the stage in full leather‑and‑stud armor, guitars slicing through the air, drums landing like hammer strikes, and vocals sharp enough to cut steel. It’s not imitation; it’s steel‑cutting screams and molten‑metal energy roaring back to life under the desert sky.

• Fatal Illusions hits like a Megadeth thrash assault — a precision‑tooled, adrenaline‑charged homage to one of the Big Four of thrash metal that feels less like a tribute and more like a deployment. They channel Megadeth’s razor‑wire riffing, battlefield‑march rhythms, and that unmistakable snarling attitude with such ferocity that the air itself seems to tighten. Every down‑picked riff land like artillery, every solo slices through the night like shrapnel, and the crowd becomes part of the blast radius. This isn’t nostalgia; it’s a reenactment of the battlefield, a thrash‑metal warzone roaring back to life under the desert sky.

🎸 Just Another Day in the Rock Trenches

So yeah — sunrise to midnight, mountain quakes to metal carnage. Just another chapter in the ongoing saga of a rock journalist’s life. Some people collect stamps. I collect decibels, bruises, and stories that smell like amplifier heat.

Someone's got to be a rock writer. And I'm glad that it's me!

Gary England

#NationalNewsMedia #WorldwideEntertainmentNetwork #MusicEntertainmentSports #GaryEngland

Treasure Island Breeze Bar Paul Shortino And Mitch Perry: Where The Real Fireworks Are At For America's 250th!

Last night inside the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino's Breeze Bar, the Strip felt like it had slipped back into its glory-days groove, that warm, analog hum of classic rock rolling through a packed room of fans, Vegas players, family, friends, and out-of-towners who knew they were catching lightning in a bottle.

Paul Shortino and Mitch Perry delivered a three-hour masterclass in rock lineage, jumping from the brass-driven punch of Chicago to the arena grit of Quiet Riot, the soul-heavy swing of Blood Sweat & Tears, the gospel-tinged warmth of Leon Russell, the wild-eyed fire of Edgar Winter, and the southern-fried swagger of the Allman Brothers Band.

Paul Shortino's soul-rich voice and wide-open range gave every song that lived-in authenticity only decades onstage can produce. At the same time, Mitch Perry moved between guitar and keys with the kind of effortless command that makes both instruments feel wired straight into his heartbeat. Together, they held the crowd locked in, no drifting, no chatter, just that classic rock communion where the room breathes as one. They're a must-see duo, and they're back again tonight (July 4th).

Catch the fireworks on the Strip, and the real fireworks inside the Treasure Island Breeze Bar with the dynamic duo of Paul Shortino and Mitch Perry!

Show tonight (July 4th) 6-9pm

Gary England

#NationalNewsMedia #WorlwideEntertainmentNetwork #MusicEntertainmentSports #GaryEngland

Two Nights Of Red White And Blue Rock N' Roll Glow: Moapa Valley Of Fire Celebrate America July 3rd And 4th

 Tonight, July Three, and tomorrow night, July four. “We the People” hit the desert like a power chord. Independence Day isn’t just a date on the calendar — it’s the anniversary of the moment America grabbed the mic, kicked the monarchy off the stage, and declared its own headline tour.

And here in Las Vegas — the neon‑lit capital of loud living — the celebration roars across the valley. From North Las Vegas to Henderson, from Summerlin to the Strip, the whole city turns into one giant block party of food sizzling, drinks clinking, fireworks punching holes in the sky, and music shaking the pavement for America’s 250th birthday.

Check out my latest blog post (Here), it’s your backstage pass to everything exploding, sizzling, rocking, and rolling across Las Vegas tonight and rolling straight into the Fourth. The whole valley’s about to light up like a stadium encore, and the rundown is waiting for you right where the neon meets the news.

Today I’m stepping out from behind the curtain with my "Hot Tip" for where to unleash your red-white-and-blue rock-n-roll spirit.

Click on pic to enlarge

Point your ride north out of Vegas, let the Strip fade in the rearview, and blast up I‑15 until the desert opens wide. Hit Exit 75, swing onto Valley of Fire Highway, and let that ribbon of asphalt pull you straight into a prehistoric cathedral of red rock that looks like the earth itself decided to start a rock ’n’ roll band. 

My hot tip for America’s big birthday blowout? Moapa Travel Plaza — Valley of Fire, the desert outpost where the neon spirit of Vegas meets the raw red‑rock energy of the Mojave. It’s the perfect launchpad for food, drinks, music, fireworks, and a party vibe that hums like a neon sign at midnight.

Point your ride toward the celebration — the trip is as easy as flipping a switch on the Strip!

For another one of my hot‑wired, desert‑lit tips, flip the switch to full party mode — because the bands storming the stage both nights aren’t just playing shows, they’re detonating America’s birthday straight into the neon sky. These bands are made of loud, proud, star‑spangled rock ’n’ roll that makes the whole country square its shoulders and stand tall.

And I’m not just hyping this — I can personally vouch for four of these BaDD‑A$$ outfits. I’ve covered them, watched them melt faces, and seen crowds lose their minds: Stoney Curtis Band, Chase Brown, Mach 5, and Lonestar.

*Be sure to check the event flyer above for times and dates.

Now that’s how you throw a birthday party for America! (Las Vegas Style)

Gary England

Las Vegas Goes Full‑Throttle For America's Two-Fifty Birthday Celebration!

Las Vegas doesn’t just celebrate America’s 250th — it lights the desert on fire with neon, music, and sky‑splitting fireworks. On July 3rd, Downtown gets the early jump with the Plaza’s Welcome to the Weekend fireworks blasting over Fremont Street at 9:10 PM. The whole district turns into a pre‑Fourth carnival of slot tournaments, street crowds, live music, and that classic Fremont chaos glowing under the canopy.

Then July 4th hits, and the Strip unleashes the biggest synchronized rooftop fireworks show in Vegas history — nine resorts firing in perfect unison at 9 PM, turning Las Vegas Boulevard into a mile‑long river of color and thunder. Dayclubs, nightclubs, pool parties, and headliner DJs keep the energy ripping from sunrise to sunrise, giving America a birthday party only Vegas could pull off.

Happy 250th Birthday, America — from Las Vegas, Nevada, the city that never dims the lights, never lowers the volume, and never misses a chance to celebrate in full neon glory!

God Bless America!

Gary England

Las Vegas Review Journal

The Scene That Eats Its Own: Where Losers Come To Be Found And Winners Come And Get Lost!

Yesterday an old friend — one of the ink‑stained lifers I came up with in the newspaper trenches — dropped a surprise in my inbox. He said that I needed to see this! A clip from one of my first big assignments after I rolled into Las Vegas back in ’99. I was still ghosting back then, hiding behind other people’s bylines, so I can only legally spill a sliver of what that article said. But man… what a memory.

I got thrown straight into the fire the minute my boots hit the neon. No warm‑up act, no easing into the Vegas madness. One of the biggest names in showbiz — can’t say who because, well, ghost‑writer rules — sat across from me and kicked off the interview by saying he’d read my sports and entertainment stuff. Said my style would shake things up. Then he leaned back, gave me that showbiz half‑smirk, and dropped a line that’s been rattling around my skull for almost three decades:

“Vegas is where losers come to be found, and winners come and get lost.”

I didn’t know it then, but that quote would hit me harder 27 years later than it did that afternoon.

From ’99 to around 2020, my journalistic life felt pretty normal — or at least as normal as a writer’s life in Sin City can be. But the deeper I got into the scene, the more the ground started shifting under my feet. By last year (2025), it felt like I’d stepped straight into the Twilight Zone. Not what I signed up for, not by a long shot.

The higher‑up talent doesn’t need to hear this, and the folks still clawing their way up the food chain toward the spotlights sure as hell don’t want to hear it. But I’ve spent decades building up Las Vegas with my words — painting it as this friendly, electric, all‑for‑one carnival of neon dreams. A place where everyone was pulling the same rope, sweating for the same spotlight.

What the hell was I thinking?

The world’s gone sideways, and of course Vegas would too. This city doesn’t dodge the crazy — it amplifies it, turns it up to eleven, and blasts it through a busted speaker at 3 a.m. on Fremont.

For years I tried to convince myself — and everyone reading me — that Vegas was a warm, glitter‑dusted community. That the scene was a brotherhood, a sisterhood, a neon‑lit family. But the higher‑ups already know better, and the up‑and‑comers don’t want the truth messing with their climb.

Vegas isn’t a team sport. Vegas is a survival gig!

Gary England

When The Local Music Scene Talks Back!

When I tossed the question onto Facebook yesterday — “When I say the Local Las Vegas music scene, what do you think of?” — I honestly expected a surge of love for the people who keep this city loud. The venues that stepped up this past year. The musicians who still talk about the scene with pride. The sound and lighting techs who show up, dial it in, and give everything they’ve got. The die‑hard fans who’ve basically become influencers just by showing up and shouting loud. And the (fans) photographers who grind night after night to capture the wins, the sweat, and the glow of our bands across town.

But that’s not where the conversation went.

Right now (6:30am Wednesday morning), 21 hours out after the post went up on my Facebook page. 85 comments, and 4 point 6 thousand Facebook views later. Something happened!

The whole thing slid in another direction. Sure, people mentioned venues. Fans shouted out their favorite bands. A few local rock stars got their flowers, and even a couple of upcoming gigs slipped into the mix. But underneath all that, the conversation kept circling back to what’s cracked, what’s frustrating, and what desperately needs fixing in the Las Vegas music world.

I left it up. I wanted to see how deep it would go.

What came back was brutally honest: no pats on the back, no “hell yeah,” no applause. Just a raw snapshot of a scene stretched thin and gasping for air. Too many musicians and bands fighting over too few stages. To much talk, and not enough action. Too many people trying to survive in an economy where everyone — artists included — needs steady work just to keep up with the cost of living.

But here’s the truth: we’re all gears in the same machine. Musicians, bands, sound techs, lighting crews, venues, promoters, media folks — every one of us is grinding to keep this city’s heartbeat from fading out.

Now the question is: How to fix what needs fixing in the Local Las Vegas Music Scene?

Positive comments?

The Beatles were ahead of the curve in July ’69 when they dropped Come Together. Maybe it’s time the Las Vegas music scene took that message seriously.

Right now, more than ever, we need to come together. Before there's no music scene to save!

Once again, music speaks louder than words!

Gary England